Pleasing God: Sons of Shiva (1985)
Directed by Robert Gardner / Askos Ostor
Genres - Culture & Society, Spirituality & Philosophy |
Sub-Genres - Anthropology, Religions & Belief Systems |
Run Time - 28 min. |
MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Sarah Welsh
Pleasing God: Sons of Shiva, the first film in a trilogy about Hindu religion, is an ethnographic study of the prolonged gajan ceremony that summons Lord Shiva. West Bengali devotees are shown from the first symbolic act of the ritual through a progressive escalation of ascetic and trance-inducing practices; in contrast, they are also shown socializing and making informal preparations. The music of the Bauls, a famous wandering sect, figures prominently in the activities. All three Pleasing God films were produced by Harvard's Film Study Center.
Characteristics
Keywords
culture [social culture], Hinduism
